Menu

Egypt

Like so much of the world I have been transfixed on the dramatic events in Egypt, but feeling a little powerless to help – until I read about the Harper government’s response (which, I guess, we shouldn’t be surprised about)!

What follows came from the Canadian Peace Alliance.
Stephen Harper backs Mubarak’s ‘transition’ plan
Contact your MPs to protest now! Canada must support Egypt’s democracy movement, not a dictator!

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has thrown Canada’s support behind embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, despite growing pressure in Egypt and around the world for the 82-year old dictator to resign immediately. Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said on February 3 that the Conservative government prefers Mubarak’s plan to step down in September instead of now.

But even the Obama administration in the US believes that Mubarak must resign immediately, in response to nation-wide protests of millions of people in Egypt.

In 2003, Stephen Harper – who was Leader of the Opposition at the time – argued that Canada should join the US-led war in Iraq. Harper was on the wrong side of history then, and he is on the wrong side of history now.

Contact your MPs to protest Canada’s decision to back Mubarak. Canada must support Egypt’s democracy movement, not a hated dictator.
Step 1:

Cut-and-paste the e-mail addresses of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the opposition leaders, the government house leaders, and their deputies into your address line:

End Harper’s support for Mubarak. Canada must back Egypt’s democratic movement.

Step 4:

Cut-and-paste the following message into your message. Feel free to personalize it. Don’t forget to sign your name and address at the end of the message.

Dear Prime Minister Harper:

I am writing to express my opposition to your government’s decision to back the so-called ‘transition’ plan of embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, instead of the demand of millions of Egyptians that the 82-year old dictator resign immediately. Even the Obama administration in the US has backed the call for Mubarak to step down now. Canada must support Egypt’s democracy movement, not a hated dictator.

I, therefore, ask you to take the following steps:

– Add Canada’s voice to the growing calls for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to step down immediately, and not in September
– Freeze the Egyptian government’s assets in Canada until Mubarak’s regime has been replaced
– Condemn the violence unleashed by Mubarak’s supporters and undercover police

The vast majority of Egyptians want Mubarak to leave now. Canada must not support Mubarak in the name of “stability” in the region. There can be no stability in the region unless all its people, including Egyptians, can live in a truly free and democratic system.

I look forward to your speedy response.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Step 5:

Send.
Step 6:

Forward this e-mail to all your networks, asking them to contact their MPs, too.